Indicating device for roll film cameras



April 14, 1942..v f A. NAGEL INDICATING DEVICE FOR ROLL FILM CAMERAS n Filed Aug. 19', v19159- fom Patented Apr. 14, l 1942 UNITED STATES mrs DEvIoEFoR ROLL FILM 4 af cAMEaAs INDICATING NTg foFFicEY-f August Nagel, Stuttgart-Degerloch, VGermany, A

assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Roch-A ester, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 19, 1939,l Serial No. 291,055

" In Germany April `28, 1939v 1 Claim. (Cl. 116-114) when the camera is loaded with lm. Another object of my invention is to provide a scale plate which can be moved to a plurality of positions which may be determined by a friction latch, and to provide a means on the camera for holding the elements of the friction latch against movement when the door, through which the camera is loaded, is in a closed position. Another object of my invention is to provide `a scale plate which may be turned about an axis and which may be held in any one of a plurality of positions by means of a snap latch operated b-y the camera back, and to provide a means for automatically releasing the positive latch when the camera back is opened to load lm into the camera. Other objects will appear from the following specication, the novel features being particularly pointed out in the claim at the end thereof.

Coming now to the drawing wherein like reference characters denote like parts throughout:

' Fig. 1 is a fragmentary rear elevation, shown v and embodying a preferred form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of parts of the camera shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of parts of the camera shown in Fig. 1 with the camera back in an open position.

As a preferred embodiment of my invention, I have shown my adjustable scale plate mounted on a typical camera which may be a roll film camera, and which may consist of a camera body portion I, having a back 2 which may be separated from the camera body by swinging about a known type of hinge, or by removing it completely from the camera body. The camera body I may be provided with an exposure frame 3, and there may be a lm chamber 4 at one end into which film may be Wound by a winding key 5, carried by a rotary post 6 having lm turning members 'I.

In accordance with my invention, I prefer to place a scale plate 8, coaxial with the winding knob 5, and, as indicated in Fig. 2, this may be done by mounting the plate 8 to turn on a bearing member 9 which is attached to a top wall I0 of the camera by meansoiga iiangell,

fastened in place by the screws-I2. Thus, the l bearing for the plate 8 consists of the members 9 and llwhichv are preferably so tted that the dial plate 8 may turn freely. I prefer to provide a knurling I3 around the edge of the dial plate t0 facilitate turning it.

`This dial plate may be provided with a series of film indicating designations I4, here shown as. Kodachrome, XX, Panatomic, and SS, in-

dicating known types of photographic lm, butA it is obvious that the scale plate may be` divided into as many graduations as desirable, as it may obviously be turned through any desired number of degrees in adjusting the proper indication in position to show the type of film with which the camera is loaded.

In the present instance, I prefer to have the Word indicating the lm facing the camera back 2, to indicate vthe type 0f film so that with the dial set as in Fig. 3, it is indicated that Panatomic nlm is in the camera. However, a pointer or other indicating mark may be used, if desired.

In order to facilitate adjusting the dial to its proper position, I have provided a plurality ofl beveled apertures I5 on the underside of the dial plate 8, these apertures being spaced in accordance with the spacing of the lm indicating designations I4. These apertures constitute a plurality of detents, any one of which is adapted to engage a latch element, in the form of a plunger I6 normally held byl a spring I'I,l by which the plunger is carried, against the underside of the dial plate. Thus, if the dial plate is turned, the spring plunger will always tend to center any designating area of the'dial plate in its proper indicating position.

The plunger I6 operates through an aperture I8 in the upper camera wall I 9, and when the camera'back is in an open position, it merely serves as a spring detent tending to hold the dial plate in any set position, but permitting the dial plate to be yfreely turned. However, after the film has been loaded into the camera and the dial plate has been properly set, it may be denitely latched in a xed position by means of the camera back 2 which may slide under the aperture I8 of the end Wall I9 of the camera, and thus prevent movement of the plunger I6, denitely, locking it in a fixed or set position, thus holding the dial plate in a set position. Any part of' the camera back or a part attached thereto may be used for this latching operation. I find it convenient, however, to attach to a ange 20 on the camera back, a short stud 2I which will lle beneath the plunger I6, because by doing this, the stud maybe led'off and thusV readily fitted to hold the latch elements in the proper engagement without otherwise altering parts of the camera. This structure, however, is not necessary.

It is obvious from the above description that my invention may take many different forms,`

and it is understood that theabove description of the camera shown 'in the drawing is onlya preby way of illustration of a preferred form thereof.

ferred embodiment of my invention and is given" It will be readily seen that any ilrnv camera having a doorthrough which lm Visfloaded .into

the camera maybe equipped with a movably.

mounted dial plate which may be latched inr pog sition'as the door is closed irrespective offthe type or shape of the camera used.' I vtherefore consider as within the scope'of my invention, any cameras as may come Within the scope of the appended claim. i What I claim is: i a" iilm camera, a lm lwinding Aspindle formed `on the other face of said plate, a iilm 'chamber and a door for closing said chamber, a

plunger operable through an aperture in said `wall under said plate, a spring secured to. said wall and engaging said plunger to move the latter toward said platev and into engagement with one 'of said detents to releasably retain said plate in a position of adjustment, and a portion of said plunger positioned `so that a part of said door Vwillsubstantially engage saidA portion when said door is in chamber closing position to retain said plunger in engagement with said one detent to lock said plate in adjusted position.

AUGUST NAGEL. 

